London 2012 Olympics will make youth proud of Britain, poll says

Young Britons will feel most proud of our nation when the Olympics arrive, a Metro/Harris survey has revealed.

The Duke of Edinburgh (left) speaks to London 2012 chairman Lord Coe at the Olympic Park

The younger generation will feel the biggest benefit from the 2012 games and their legacy of improved sport facilities.

Almost two thirds of 16 to 24-year-olds believe the games will help them feel proud to be ‘part of Britain’, says the Harris Interactive poll.

And 65 per cent said seeing the world’s best athletes compete will inspire young people to take up sports.

But only 36 per cent of all respondents said the Olympics would have long-term benefits of encouraging people to stay healthy – and only eight per cent of adults said they would be inspired to take more exercise.

Yet more than half – 54 per cent – of 16 to 24-year-olds think sports facilities will be improved for the long term.

‘This shows a real opportunity for bodies like Sport England to use the games to help build a legacy with more people taking part in sport,’ said Harris Interactive research director Neil Russell.

Three out of four people think traffic will become worse during the games, while 64 per cent predicting steep rises in Londoners’ council tax bills.

And the excitement isn’t shared north of the border, with only 20 per per cent of Scots saying the games would make them feel proud to be British – and nine out of ten saying the games will make no difference to how often they exercise.

Harris Interactive questioned 2,045 people online between June 1st and 9th.